Buckworth Conservation Group

ANNOUNCER: Part 1, you will hear a woman called Jan, phoning a man about their local conservation group. First, you have some time to look at questions 1 to 5. Now listen carefully and answer questions 1 to 5.

PETER: Hello.

JAN: Oh hello, my name is Jan. Are you the right person to talk to about the Buckworth Conservation Group?

PETER: Yes, I'm Peter, I'm the secretary.

JAN: Good, I've just moved to this area, and I'm interested in getting involved. I was in a similar group where I used to live. Could you tell me something about your activities, please?

PETER: Of course. Well we have a mixture of regular activities and special events.

PETER: One of the regular ones is trying to keep the beach free of litter. A few of us spend a couple of hours a month on it. And it's awful how much there is to clear. I wish people would be more responsible and take it home with them.

JAN: I totally agree. I'd be happy to help with that. Is it OK to take dogs?

PETER: I'm afraid not, as they're banned from the beach itself. You can take them along the cliffs though, and children are welcome.

JAN: Right.

PETER: We also manage a nature reserve, and there's a lot to do there all year round. For example, because it's a popular place to visit, we spend a lot of time looking after the paths and making sure they're in good condition for walking.

JAN: I could certainly help with that.

PETER: Good. And we have a program of creating new habitats there. We've just finished making and installing nesting boxes for birds to use, and next we're going to work on encouraging insects. They're important for the biodiversity of the reserve.

JAN: They certainly are.

PETER: Oh, and we're also running a project to identify the different species of butterflies that visit the reserve. You might be interested in taking part in that.

JAN: Sure, I was involved in something similar where I used to live, counting all the species of moths. I'd enjoy that.

PETER: Another job we're doing at the reserve is replacing the wall on the southern side, between the parking area and our woodshed. It was badly damaged in a storm last month.

JAN: OK.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 6 to 10. Now listen and answer questions 6 to 10.

PETER: Then, as I said, we have a program of events as well, both at the weekend and during the week.

JAN: Right. I presume you have guided walks. I'd like to get to know the local countryside, as I'm new to the area.

PETER: Yes, we do. The next walk is to Ruston Island a week on Saturday. We'll be meeting in the car park at Dunsmore Beach at low tide. That's when the sands are dry enough for us to walk to the island without getting wet.

JAN: Sounds good.

PETER: The island's a great place to explore. It's quite small, and it's got a range of habitats. It's also an ideal location for seeing seals just off the coast or even on the beach.

JAN: OK. And is there anything we should bring? Like a picnic for instance.

PETER: Yes, do bring one, as it's a full-day walk, and of course it'll be wet walking across and back, so make sure your boots are waterproof.

JAN: I must buy a new pair. There's a hole in one of my current ones. Well, I'd definitely like to come on the walk.

PETER: Great. Then later this month, we're having a one-day woodwork session in Hopton Wood.

JAN: I've never tried that before. Is it OK for beginners to take part?

PETER: Definitely, there'll be a couple of experts leading the session, and we keep the number of participants down, so you'll get as much help as you need.

JAN: Excellent! I'd love to be able to make chairs.

PETER: Ha. That's probably too ambitious for one day! You'll be starting with wooden spoons, and of course learning how to use the tools, and anything you make is yours to take home with you.

JAN: That sounds like fun. When is it?

PETER: It's on the 17th, from 10 a.m. until 3. There's a charge of £35 including lunch, or £40, if you want to camp in the wood.

JAN: I should think I'll come home the same day. Well, I'd certainly like to join the group. It sounds like you've...

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 1. You now have half a minute to check your answers to part 1.

Boat Trip Round Tasmania

ANNOUNCER: Part 2, you will hear a tour guide, Lou Miller, speaking to a group of people about a boat trip they are going to take around the Australian island of Tasmania. First, you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.

LOU MILLER: So, hello everyone, my name is Lou Miller, and I'm going to be your tour guide today as we take this fantastic boat trip around the Tasmanian coast.

LOU MILLER: Before we set off, I just want to tell you a few things about our journey.

LOU MILLER: Our boats aren't huge, as you can see. We already have three staff members on board. And on top of that, we can transport a further 15 people, that's you, around the coastline.

LOU MILLER: But please note, if there are more than 9 people on either side of the boat, we'll move some of you over. Ha, otherwise all 18 of us will end up in the sea.

LOU MILLER: We've recently upgraded all our boats. They used to be jet black, but our new ones now have these comfortable dark red seats and a light green exterior.

LOU MILLER: In order to stand out from others and help promote our company. This gives our boats a rather unique appearance, don't you think?

LOU MILLER: We offer you a free lunch box during the trip, and we have three types.

LOU MILLER: Lunch Box 1 contains ham and tomato sandwiches.

LOU MILLER: Lunch Box 2 contains a cheddar cheese roll.

LOU MILLER: Lunch Box 3 is salad-based, and also contains eggs and tuna.

LOU MILLER: All three lunch boxes also have a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar inside.

LOU MILLER: Please let staff know which lunch box you prefer.

LOU MILLER: I'm sure I don't have to ask you not to throw anything into the sea.

LOU MILLER: We don't have any bins to put litter in, but Jess, myself, or Ray, our other guide, will collect it from you after lunch and put it all in a large plastic sack.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20.

LOU MILLER: The engine on the boat makes quite a lot of noise, so before we head off, let me tell you a few things about what you're going to see.

LOU MILLER: This area is famous for its ancient lighthouse, which you'll see from the boat as we turn past the first little island.

LOU MILLER: It was built in 1838 to protect sailors, as a number of shipwrecks had led to significant loss of life.

LOU MILLER: The construction itself was complicated, as some of the original drawings kept by the local council show.

LOU MILLER: It sits right on top of the cliffs in a very isolated spot.

LOU MILLER: In the 19th century, there were many jobs there, such as polishing the brass lamps, chopping firewood, and cleaning windows that kept lighthouse keepers busy.

LOU MILLER: These workers were mainly prison convicts until the middle of that century, when ordinary families willing to live in such circumstances took over.

LOU MILLER: Some of you have asked me what creatures we can expect to see.

LOU MILLER: I know everyone loves the penguins, but they're very shy and unfortunately tend to hide from passing boats.

LOU MILLER: But you might see birds in the distance, such as sea eagles flying around the cliff edges where they nest.

LOU MILLER: When we get to the rocky area inhabited by fur seals, we'll stop and watch them swimming around the coast.

LOU MILLER: They're inquisitive creatures, so don't be surprised if one pops up right in front of you.

LOU MILLER: Their predators, orca whales, hunt along the coastline too, but spotting one of these is rare.

LOU MILLER: Dolphins, on the other hand, can sometimes approach on their own or in groups, as they ride the waves beside us.

LOU MILLER: Lastly, I want to mention the caves.

LOU MILLER: Tasmania is famous for its caves, and the ones we'll pass by are so amazing that people are lost for words when they see them.

LOU MILLER: They can only be approached by sea, but if you feel that you want to see more than we're able to show you, then you can take a kayak into the area on another day.

LOU MILLER: One of our staff will give you more information on that.

LOU MILLER: What we'll do is go through a narrow channel, past some incredible rock formations.

LOU MILLER: From there, we'll be able to see the openings to the caves, and at that point we'll talk to you about what lies beyond.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 2. You now have half a minute to check your answers to part 2.

Work Experience for Veterinary Science Students

ANNOUNCER: Part 3, you will hear two veterinary science students called Diana and Tim discussing their work placements and their course modules. First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26. Now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26.

DIANA: So, Tim, we have to do a short summary of our work experience on a farm.

TIM: Right. My farm was great, but arranging the work experience was hard. One problem was it was miles away, and I don't drive. And also, I'd really wanted a placement for a month, but I could only get one for two weeks.

DIANA: Hmm. I was lucky. The farmer let me stay on the farm, so I didn't have to travel. But finding the right sort of farm to apply to wasn't easy.

TIM: No, they don't seem to have websites, do they? I found mine through a friend of my mother’s, but it wasn't easy.

DIANA: No.

TIM: My farm was mostly livestock, especially sheep. I really enjoyed helping out with them. I was up most of one night helping a sheep deliver a lamb.

DIANA: On your own?

TIM: No, the farmer was there, and he told me what to do. It wasn't a straightforward birth. But I managed. It was a great feeling to see the lamb stagger to its feet and start feeding almost straight away.

TIM: Then another time a lamb had broken its leg, and they got the vet in to set it, and he talked me through what he was doing. That was really useful.

DIANA: Yes, my farm had sheep too. The farm was in a valley, and they had a lowland breed called Suffolks, although the farmer said they'd had other breeds in the past.

TIM: So were they bred for their meat?

DIANA: Mostly, yes. They're quite big and solid.

TIM: My farm was up in the hills, and they had a different breed of sheep. They were Cheviots.

DIANA: Oh. I heard their wool's really sought after.

TIM: Yes, it's very hard wearing, and they use it for carpets.

DIANA: Right.

TIM: I was interested in the amount of supplements they add to animals' feed nowadays.

DIANA: Yes, I found that too, and they're not cheap. But my farmer said some are overpriced for what they are.

DIANA: He didn't give them as a matter of routine, just when the chickens seemed to particularly require them.

TIM: Yes, mine said the same. He said certain breeds of chickens might need more supplements than others.

DIANA: Yes, dairy cows too. I made a really embarrassing mistake when I was working in the milk shed.

DIANA: Some cows had been treated with antibiotics, so their milk wasn't suitable for human consumption. But I mixed it with the milk for humans, so the whole lot had to be thrown away.

TIM: I asked my farmer how much he depended on the vet to deal with health problems.

TIM: He said actually some of the things vets do, like minor operations, he’d be quite capable of doing himself.

DIANA: Yeah. My farmer said the same, but he reckons vets' skills are still needed.

ANNOUNCER: Before you hear the rest of the conversation, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30. Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

DIANA: Now we've got to give a bit of feedback about last term's modules.

TIM: OK, so medical terminology.

DIANA: Well, my heart sank when I saw that. I did struggle with it.

TIM: I thought it would be hard, but actually I found it quite straightforward.

TIM: What did you think about diet and nutrition?

DIANA: OK, I suppose.

TIM: I was shocked that there’s such limited checking into whether pet food is contaminated.

DIANA: I think the module that really impressed me was the animal disease one.

DIANA: We looked at animals like camels, water buffalo, and alpaca. Scientists don't know much about the diseases that affect them.

TIM: Yes, I thought they would know more about controlling those diseases.

TIM: I loved the wildlife medication unit. Like helping birds caught in oil spills.

DIANA: Yeah. I might write my dissertation about something related to that.

TIM: Right.

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 3. You now have half a minute to check your answers to part 3.

Labyrinths

ANNOUNCER: Part 4, you will hear an anthropology student giving a presentation on spiral path designs known as labyrinths. First, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen carefully and answer questions 31 to 40.

SPEAKER: Labyrinths have existed for well over 4,000 years.

SPEAKER: Labyrinths and labyrinthine symbols have been found in regions as diverse as modern-day Turkey, Ireland, Greece, and India.

SPEAKER: There are various designs of labyrinth, but what they all have in common is a winding spiral path, which leads to a central area.

SPEAKER: There is one starting point at the entrance, and the goal is to reach the centre.

SPEAKER: Finding your way through a labyrinth involves many twists and turns. But it’s not possible to get lost, as there is only one single path.

SPEAKER: In modern times, the word labyrinth has taken on a different meaning and is often used as a synonym for a maze.

SPEAKER: A maze is quite different, as it is a kind of puzzle with an intricate network of paths.

SPEAKER: Mazes became fashionable in the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe and can still be found in the gardens of great houses and palaces.

SPEAKER: The paths are usually surrounded by thick high hedges, so it’s not possible to see over them.

SPEAKER: Entering a maze usually involves getting lost a few times before using logic to find your way to the centre.

SPEAKER: There are lots of dead ends and paths which lead you back to where you started.

SPEAKER: The word maze is believed to come from a Scandinavian word for a state of confusion. This is where the word amazing comes from.

SPEAKER: Labyrinths on the other hand have a very different function.

SPEAKER: The winding spiral of the labyrinth has been used as a metaphor for life’s journey.

SPEAKER: It served as a spiritual reminder that there is purpose and meaning to our lives.

SPEAKER: Labyrinths are thought to encourage a feeling of calm and have been used as a tool for meditation and prayer in many cultures.

SPEAKER: The earliest examples of labyrinth spiral patterns have been found carved into stone from Sardinia to Scandinavia, from Arizona to India, and to Africa.

SPEAKER: In Europe, these carvings date from the late Bronze Age.

SPEAKER: The Native American Pima tribe wove baskets with a circular labyrinth design depicting their cosmology.

SPEAKER: In ancient Greece, the labyrinth spiral appeared on coins around 4,000 years ago.

SPEAKER: Labyrinth mosaics were commonly found in bathhouses, villas, and tombs throughout the Roman Empire.

SPEAKER: In Northern Europe, physical labyrinths were cut into turf or grass for walking.

SPEAKER: These were usually in a circular pattern.

SPEAKER: Their origin remains unclear, but they were probably used for fertility rites.

SPEAKER: Today, only 11 examples of turf labyrinths survive.

SPEAKER: The largest one is at Saffron Walden in England, which once had a large tree in its centre.

SPEAKER: In recent years, labyrinths have experienced a revival.

SPEAKER: Some believe walking a labyrinth promotes healing and mindfulness.

SPEAKER: Reported benefits include slower breathing and a restored sense of balance and perspective.

SPEAKER: Because of this, labyrinths have been installed in spas, wellness centres, and even prisons.

SPEAKER: A pamphlet at Colorado Children’s Hospital explains that walking a labyrinth can help calm people during a crisis.

SPEAKER: Even doctors sometimes walk the labyrinth during their breaks.

SPEAKER: Patients who cannot walk may use a paper finger labyrinth in their hospital beds.

SPEAKER: Although the science behind these effects is still uncertain, several small-scale studies support the claims.

SPEAKER: For example, one study found that walking a labyrinth helped provide short-term calming and relief from anxiety for Alzheimer’s patients.

SPEAKER: So what is it about labyrinths that makes their appeal so universal?

ANNOUNCER: That is the end of part 4. You now have one minute to check your answers to part 4.